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Claire Simone
Clarie Simone 'is one of the characters of the biographical movie '"The Monuments Men". Claire Simone's fictional character is inspired by the French ast historian and member of the French Resistance at the World War II Rose Antonia Maria Valland. Claire is a French art historian who, by the time of the German occupation of France during the World War II, is forced to work for the Nazis, and is put in paid service by them to become the overseer of the '''Jeu de Paume Museum '''in Paris. Claire is contrary to the german occupation and she's secretly part of the French Resistance, having one of her brothers being one of the main members of the Resistance. Claire notifies the information she obtains while working with the Nazis to the Resistance. The Germans (through the "Special Staff for Pictorial Art") begin the systematic looting of artworks from museums and private art collections throughout France. And they used the Jeu de Paume Museum as their central storage and sorting depot pending distribution to various persons and places in Germany. The museum was visited by high-ranking Nazi officials to personally select some of the stolen paintings for his own private collection. Claire is aware of that and, while the Nazi plundering is being carried out, she begins secretly recording as much as possible of the more than 20,000 pieces of art brought to the Jeu de Paume Museum. Claire also keeps secret from the Germans the fact that she understands German. In addition, for four years she kept track of where and to whom in Germany the artworks were shipped and risked her life to provide information to the French Resistance about railroad shipments of art so that they would not mistakenly blow up the trains loaded with France's priceless treasures. Claire regularly informs her brother about the status of Nazi art looting. But her brother is surprised trying to steal a nazi's truck full of french art objects on its way to Berlin. He obtained the information about the truck thanks to Claire and she's suspected of being part of the resistance for sometime, but the nazis don't find any evidence of her being a spy and to make her being arrested. Since then Claire is more cautious about her spy activities. A few weeks before the Liberation of Paris, on 1 August 1944, Claire is arrested for collaborating with the Nazis and is jailed, even if she felt forced to worked with the germans. Meanwhile Claire maintains at home and in secret all the information she has collected about the Nazi art looting and doesn't tell to anyone since she feels cautious and cowed. But the american Stg. James Granger comes to Paris and, in an attemp to get some information about what might have happened to all the private collections stolen by the nazis, he decides to pursue Claire and go to the jail she's in. There Granger asks Claire for information, but Claire is cautious about giving him information, since she suspects the americans want to confiscate the stolen art for their own country. Granger is confident that Claire worked for the resistance, and he knows she was a spy so he offers her a deal; he will manage to set her free from jail in order to collaborate with him. After rethinking her situation, Claire reconsiders her idea of collaborating with James Granger, and she is set free from jail thanks to him. First, Claire shows Granger a stock in Paris where the Nazis hid art pieces stolen from private collections, mainly from Jewish families. Later on, when Granger shows Claire a copy of "the Nero Decree" signed by Hitler, which orders the destruction of all German possessions if Hitler dies or Germany falls, Claire finally decides to collaborate fully with Granger and to provide him with all the information she has. Claire is also starting to have feelings for Granger. So, the two of them have a date and have dinner at Claire's house. There, Claire provides Granger a comprehensive ledger she has compiled that provides valuable information on the stolen art and the rightful owners. Claire has wrote down and photographed all the Nazi officials that went through the office and were part of the looting of the art objects, she also has a complete register of all the art stolen. And also she tells Granger that this work of art is not hidden into the mines but in a Castle in the Alps. At the end of the date, Claire offers Granger to spend the night with her, but Granger tells her he's married and decides to leave. However they end up in good terms and being great friends. The next day Granger parts to Germany to be reunited with the rest of his team. Personality Chic and intelligent, Claire Simone's personality is stiff and reserved. The tension she had to face while working for the Nazis and, at the same time, spying them (and the muerder of her brother) can have contributed to her personality. But she's overall a shut-in and prim french woman with a note of elegance and sophistication. She's strict about her behaviour and the behaviour of others. Distrustful by nature, Claire emerges some hidden feelings once in a while, and she shows them to James Granger.